An overview of fellowship opportunities funded by the Fulbright Commission for postgraduate research, study, and English Teaching Assistantships in more than 155 countries. This session will be led by Dr. Wallace Genser, CURF's Senior Associate Director for Fellowships and Operations.

An overview of exciting postgraduate fellowship opportunities for Penn students, which can fund study abroad as well as independent research and work placements. This session will be run by CURF's Senior Associate Director for Fellowships and Operations, Dr. Wallace Genser, and 2013 Thouron Award recipient and CURF Fellow Elena Gooray.

SPRING 2015 Deadline: March 20

The Penn Humanities Forum awards several Undergraduate Humanities Research Fellowships each year to further undergraduate research in the humanities. Fellows are expected to participate in an Undergraduate Research Symposium during the Spring semester of their award, to attend regular lunch or dinner meetings throughout the year to discuss their ongoing research, and to participate actively in the Penn Humanities Forum.

External website

An overview of exciting postgraduate fellowship opportunities for Penn students, which can fund independent research as well as study abroad. This session will be run by CURF's Senior Associate Director for Fellowships and Operations, Dr. Wallace Genser, and 2013 Thouron Award recipient and CURF Fellow Elena Gooray.

An overview of fellowship opportunities funded by the Fulbright Commission for postgraduate research, study, and English Teaching Assistantships in over 155 countries. This session will be led by Dr. Wallace Genser, CURF's Senior Associate Director for Fellowships and Operations.

MITCHELL SCHOLARSHIP

The George J. Mitchell Scholarships were established in 1998, and named in honor of former U.S. Senator Mitchell who served as chairman of the peace negotiations in Northern Ireland. The Scholarship funds one year of graduate study at institutions of higher learning in Ireland, both in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland.

The universities participating in the Mitchell Scholarships provide tuition and room for each Scholar. In addition, each Scholar will receive a stipend to cover other necessary expenses for the term of study. The US-Ireland Alliance will assist successful applicants with their traveling expenses to and from Ireland and Northern Ireland. Scholars will also receive a travel allowance.

CANDIDATES SHOULD INDICATE THEIR INTENT TO APPLY FOR ENDORSEMENT FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP NO LATER THAN MARCH 31, 2015. Candidates who submit a Request for Endorsement by March 31 will be assigned a Fellowship Advisor who will help the candidate clarify goals, values, and purposes, assist with application details, and draft the letter of endorsement on behalf of the University. Beginning in 2014, to conform with new rules of the Mitchell Scholarship, Fellowship Advisors will not comment on drafts of Mitchell (or Rhodes) Scholarship essays.

Candidates who submit a request for endorsement form between April 1 and June 30 are not guaranteed a Fellowship Advisor, but will be considered for endorsement.

Candidates requesting endorsement after June 30 must contact CURF to petition to be considered for University of Pennsylvania endorsement.

ALUMNI CANDIDATES: If you are not currently a Penn undergraduate, your application does not require endorsement by the University of Pennsylvania. However, you are still strongly encouraged to participate in the fellowships advising process starting in March to aid you in presenting the best possible application.

All candidates must submit their finalized application and ensure that their recommendations are submitted online to the Mitchell website.

The internal University of Pennsylvania deadline for receiving all required application materials (including recommendation letters) is 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 26 (the first day of fall classes).

The deadline to submit applications to the US-Ireland Alliance is 5:00 PM US Eastern Standard Time on the first Wednesday of October.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND SELECTION CRITERIA

To be eligible for a Mitchell Scholarship, you must:

Be a U.S. citizen

Be 18 years of age or older, but not yet 30, on September 30 of the year of application (those who turn 30 on 1 October are not eligible).

Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university before beginning study as a Mitchell Scholar. Degrees from international accredited universities are acceptable, if all other conditions are met.

In terms of personal characteristics, the US-Ireland Alliance is looking for candidates with significant achievement in:

Academic excellence

Leadership

Commitment to community and public service

The most successful candidates have also demonstrated initiative and commitment to larger issues such as service, research, and engagement in efforts to serve humanity both on and beyond their campus. Candidates should demonstrate wide-ranging academic excellence, which should be reflected in the candidate’s overall academic record. The candidate should show qualities of moral leadership and social purpose, and should also exhibit outstanding achievement and potential for future success within the classroom, through engagement on their campus, and beyond the confines of university life. Finally, they should also have a clearly articulated reason for studying in Ireland and a solid understanding of the research they will do in a specific graduate program.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

CANDIDATES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWING AND UNDERSTANDING ALL REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO THE SCHOLARSHIP DESCRIBED ON THE MITCHELL SITE.

Following Penn's internal submission deadline, candidate materials are reviewed by the University of Pennsylvania’s Faculty Review Committee for the Mitchell Scholarship, comprised of Penn faculty who have been awarded prestigious scholarships and are actively engaged in promoting Penn’s academic mission.

The Faculty Review Committee will assess applications and select candidates to interview for consideration for Penn endorsement. Candidates selected for endorsement must then apply directly through the Mitchell website.

Video interview: After your application has been received and certified as complete by the US-Ireland Alliance, you will receive a request to complete a video interview of fewer than 10 minutes by 5:00 Eastern Time on October 4, 2015.

CANDIDATE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION:

As soon as candidates have arranged for letters of recommendation, they should fill out the Recommendation Request Form for each recommender, and for each program to which they are applying (e.g., Mitchell, Marshall, Rhodes, etc.).

INFORMATION FOR RECOMMENDERS:

In order to compose the most effective recommendation possible, fellowship recommenders are urged to review the information and suggestions CURF has developed. In addition, your letter should describe what you have observed of the candidate that illustrates the traits and abilities that will lead to academic, personal, and professional success. Specific examples of work the candidate has performed and behaviors that you have observed are crucial to successful letters.

Recommenders are required to upload a separate letter for each fellowship for which the candidate is applying. While it is not generally necessary to tailor a letter specifically for each fellowship, it is extremely important to refer to the correct fellowship, degree program, and school in each letter (e.g., “I write to recommend [Student Name] for the Rhodes Scholarship to obtain an M.Sc. in Global Health Science at Oxford”).

INTERVIEWS:

Semi-finalists will be required to participate in a preliminary interview via Skype the week of October 27, 2015. Finalists will interview in person in Washington, DC, on November 20-21, 2015. Recipients will be announced on November 22. The US-Ireland Alliance will pay round-trip transportation, within the US, for applicants invited to interview. No applicant can be selected for a Mitchell Scholarship who has not been interviewed by the selection committee. Deferment of the Scholarship is not allowed.

The Scholarship committee will seek university admission on the successful applicant's behalf. Election to a Mitchell Scholarship is formally confirmed by the Mitchell Scholarship selection committee after the Scholar-elect has been accepted by the university. Scholars are required to be full-time students for the duration of their academic year of study.

RHODES SCHOLARSHIP

Rhodes Scholarships are awarded for a one, two, or three-year period of study at Oxford University. There are 32 scholarships given each year to US citizens, which are distributed according to a system of geographical districts that vary slightly from year to year to ensure an equal number of candidates from each district.

The Rhodes Scholarship pays all tuition and fees, in addition to a personal allowance for living expenses. Information about courses of study at Oxford is available at http://www.ox.ac.uk. The Rhodes House takes responsibility for completing each scholarship recipient’s acceptance to the appropriate course of study at Oxford. Candidates who receive a Rhodes Scholarship are not required to submit a separate application to Oxford, but candidates who wish to be considered for other fellowships and financial aid from Oxford should apply directly to Oxford.

Rhodes candidates should also consider applying for the Marshall Scholarship and the Thouron Award.

CANDIDATES SHOULD INDICATE THEIR INTENT TO APPLY FOR ENDORSEMENT FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP NO LATER THAN MARCH 31, 2015. Candidates who submit a Request for Endorsement by March 31 will be assigned a Fellowship Advisor who will help the candidate clarify goals, values, and purposes, assist with application details, and draft the letter of endorsement on behalf of the University. Beginning in 2014, to conform with new rules of the Rhodes Scholarship Fellowship Advisors will not comment on drafts of Rhodes or Mitchell Scholarship essays.

Candidates who submit a request for endorsement form between April 1 and June 30 are not guaranteed a Fellowship Advisor, but will be considered for endorsement.

Candidates requesting endorsement after June 30 must contact CURF to petition to be considered for University of Pennsylvania endorsement.

All candidates (who must be endorsed by the University of Pennsylvania in the U.S.) must submit their finalized application and ensure that their recommendations are submitted online to the Rhodes website of the country to which they are applying.

US CANDIDATES: The internal University of Pennsylvania deadline for receiving all required application materials (including recommendation letters) is 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 26 (the first day of fall classes).

For US candidates the deadline to submit applications to the Rhodes Trust is 11:59 PM US Eastern Standard Time on the first Wednesday of October.

NON-US CANDIDATES: Contact CURF to discuss the deadline by which you should submit materials to CURF. Rhodes countries set their own deadlines for final submission.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND SELECTION CRITERIA

Rhodes applicants must be U.S. citizens if applying through the US.

Students may also apply as citizens of a Rhodes-eligible country (see list of these countries below).

Cecil Rhodes' will outlines four criteria to be used in the election of Scholars:

Literary and scholastic attainments

Energy to use one's talents to the full

Truth, courage, devotion to duty, sympathy for and protection of the weak, kindliness, unselfishness, and fellowship

Moral force of character and instincts to lead, and to take an interest in one's fellow beings

Candidates who meet age and citizenship eligibility requirements (which vary by country) should consider applying. Successful candidates should be able to demonstrate in their application that they:

Have excelled academically

Possess the qualities listed above, based on a demonstrable record of past activities

Have significant reasons for studying in a specific program at Oxford

Have the respect of sufficient potential recommenders who know them well enough to write strong letters on their behalf

The most successful candidates have also demonstrated initiative and commitment to larger issues such as service, research, and engagement in efforts to serve humanity both on and beyond their campus. Candidates should demonstrate wide-ranging academic excellence, which should be reflected in the candidate’s overall academic record. The candidate should show qualities of moral leadership and social purpose, and should also exhibit outstanding achievement and potential for future success within the classroom, through engagement on their campus, and beyond the confines of university life.

Rhodes candidates do not need to be athletes, though candidates should have the physical vigor that enables Rhodes Scholars to make an effective contribution to the world around them.Athletic achievement can serve as an example of the energy and leadership Cecil Rhodes sought in scholars, but is not required.

The US Rhodes web site includes a set of Frequently Asked Questions entitled “Should I Apply," which is extremely helpful, particularly in removing potential candidates’ misconceptions.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

CANDIDATES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWING AND UNDERSTANDING ALL REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO THE SCHOLARSHIP DESCRIBED ON THE SITE OF THE RHODES COUNTRY TO WHICH THEY ARE APPLYING.

Candidate materials are reviewed by the University of Pennsylvania’s Faculty Review Committee for the Rhodes Scholarship, comprised of Penn faculty who have been awarded prestigious scholarships and are actively engaged in promoting Penn’s academic mission.

The Faculty Review Committee will review applications and select candidates to interview for consideration for Penn endorsement. Candidates selected for endorsement must then apply directly through the Rhodes website of the country through which they are applying.

The US Rhodes competition is a regional competition. US candidates from Penn may apply through their home state or through Pennsylvania (by virtue of living in Pennsylvania to attend school). Most candidates are better served by applying through their home state and region. Candidates make the final decision of which region to apply through, but should consult with Dr. Wallace Genser before making this decision.

The Rhodes Scholarship is also open to citizens of the following Rhodes-eligible countries: Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica and Commonwealth Caribbean, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Southern Africa (including South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, and Swaziland), Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In 2015, one Falcon Scholar from the United Arab Emirates was also selected. Beginning in Fall 2015 all Rhodes countries are willing to accept candidates who attend a university outside of their country (although this fact may not yet be noted on each country’s Rhodes site). Application deadlines vary by country and can be found by following the country-specific links at http://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/about/rhodes-countries.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

A personal statement, not exceeding 1000 words, of general activities and intellectual interests and a proposed course of study at Oxford. The statement cannot have been edited by anyone but the applicant.

Curriculum Vitae / Resume or list of principal activities and honors since the candidate started college (no more than two pages)

For US candidates, no fewer than five and no more than eight letters of recommendation. At least four letters must be persons from whom you have received undergraduate or graduate instruction, and at least one letter must speak to your character. Letters should be specific regarding the candidate’s strengths and taken together should demonstrate the depth and breadth of your candidacy. (Candidates from other Rhodes countries may have slightly different recommendation letter requirements, and should consult the Rhodes site of their home country)

Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended (For the internal Penn Rhodes Application, candidates should print a pdf of their transcript from Penn InTouch. Candidates who are endorsed by the University of Pennsylvania will be provided with an Official Penn Transcript that they must submit with their final application. If candidates attended other post-secondary institutions they should obtain Official Transcripts from each of those institutions and submit them with their Rhodes application.)

Passport-size photograph

Proof of age and citizenship

CANDIDATE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION:

As soon as candidates have arranged for letters of recommendation, they should fill out the Recommendation Request Form for each recommender, and for each program to which they are applying (e.g., Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell, etc.).

INFORMATION FOR RECOMMENDERS:

In order to compose the most effective recommendation possible, fellowship recommenders are urged to review the information and suggestions CURF has developed. In addition, your letter should describe what you have observed of the candidate that illustrates the traits and abilities that will lead to academic, personal, and professional success. Specific examples of work the candidate has performed and behaviors that you have observed are crucial to successful letters.

Recommenders are required to upload a separate letter for each fellowship for which the candidate is applying. While it is not generally necessary to tailor a letter specifically for each fellowship, it is extremely important to refer to the correct fellowship, degree program, and school in each letter (e.g., “I write to recommend [Student Name] for the Rhodes Scholarship to obtain an M.Sc. in Global Health Science at Oxford”).

INTERVIEWS:

Finalists will be invited to interview by their US district or respective Rhodes country. CURF will hold practice interviews for finalists. The Rhodes Scholars are informed of their status at the end of the final interview.

MARSHALL SCHOLARSHIP

The Marshall Scholarships were established by the British government in 1953 to express British gratitude for the European Recovery Program, instituted by General George C. Marshall in 1947 when he served as US Secretary of State. Up to forty Scholarships are offered each year, up to five for each of eight regions into which the US is divided. The Scholarship provides overseas transportation, all tuition and fees, and a personal living allowance typically for two years of study and can, in a few exceptional cases, be renewed for a third year.While there is an option for one year of study for those with obligations that require that they return to the US after a single year (e.g., deferral of acceptance to graduate school, a job offer that is being deferred), no more than eight one-year Marshall Scholarships are awarded each year.

While the Marshall Scholarship is tenable at any university in the United Kingdom, since its goal is to promote US/UK connections throughout the UK the Scholarship particularly welcomes candidates interested in studying at universities other than Oxford, Cambridge and LSE, especially the UK partner institutions listed on the Marshall website.

Among the Marshall Scholars selected in December 2014, half will be studying at universities other than Oxford, Cambridge and LSE.

Marshall candidates should also consider applying for the Thouron Award. If you wish to study at Oxford, you should also consider applying for the Rhodes Scholarship. If you wish to study at Cambridge, you should also consider applying for the Gates Cambridge Scholarship.

DEADLINES:

CANDIDATES SHOULD INDICATE THEIR INTENT TO APPLY FOR ENDORSEMENT FOR THE MARSHALL SCHOLARSHIP NO LATER THAN MARCH 31, 2015, BY COMPLETING THE REQUEST FOR UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA ENDORSEMENT FORM. Candidates who submit a Request for Endorsement by March 31 will be assigned a Fellowship Advisor who will help the candidate clarify goals, values, and purposes, assist with application details, and draft the letter of endorsement on behalf of the University. Beginning in 2014, to conform with new rules of the Rhodes Scholarship Fellowship Advisors will not comment on drafts of Rhodes or Mitchell Scholarship essays. Hence, if Marshall candidates are also applying for the Rhodes or Mitchell, Fellowship Advisors are similarly unable to comment on drafts of their Marshall essays.

Candidates who submit a request for endorsement form between April 1 and June 30 are not guaranteed a Fellowship Advisor, but will be considered for endorsement. Candidates requesting endorsement after June 30 must contact CURF to petition to be considered for University of Pennsylvania endorsement. All endorsed candidates must submit their finalized application and ensure that their recommendations are submitted online to the Marshall website.

The internal University of Pennsylvania deadline for receiving all required application materials (including recommendation letters) is 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 26 (the first day of fall classes).

The deadline to submit applications to the Marshall Commission will be in early October (date TBD).

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND SELECTION CRITERIA

Candidates must:

Be a US citizen by October of the year in which they apply for the Marshall Scholarship

Have graduated from her or his undergraduate university within the past four years

Possess a cumulative grade point average of no less than 3.70 at the time of application

Applications are entirely electronic and will be available in late Spring 2015 on the Marshall website.

Selection criteria -- described in detail here -- include significant:

Academic Merit

Leadership Potential

Ambassadorial Potential

The most successful candidates have also demonstrated initiative and commitment to larger issues such as service, research, and engagement in efforts to serve humanity both on and beyond their campus. Candidates should demonstrate wide-ranging academic excellence, which should be reflected in the candidate’s overall academic record. The candidate should show qualities of moral leadership and social purpose, and should also exhibit outstanding achievement and potential for future success within the classroom, through engagement on their campus, and beyond the confines of university life. Finally, they should also have a clearly articulated reason for studying in the UK and a solid understanding of the research they will conduct in a specific graduate program.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

CANDIDATES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWING AND UNDERSTANDING ALL REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO THE SCHOLARSHIP DESCRIBED ON THE MARSHALL SITE.

Following Penn’s internal submission deadline, candidate materials are reviewed by the University of Pennsylvania’s Faculty Review Committee for the Marshall Scholarship, which is comprised of Penn faculty who have been awarded prestigious scholarships and are actively engaged in promoting Penn’s academic mission.

The Faculty Review Committee will review applications and select candidates to interview for consideration for Penn endorsement. Candidates selected for endorsement must then apply directly through the Marshall website and provide all necessary materials to the Marshall Scholarship.

The Marshall competition is a regional competition. US candidates from Penn may apply through their home state or through Pennsylvania (by virtue of living in Pennsylvania to attend school). Most candidates are better served by applying through their home state and region. Candidates make the final decision of which region to apply through, but should consult with Dr. Wallace Genser before making this decision.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Marshall scholarship application form

Outline of proposed studies in the UK

Statement describing academic and other interests and pursuits

Four letters of recommendation

Official college transcripts

Letter of endorsement from the University of Pennsylvania (CURF)

All of these materials -- save the institutional letter of endorsement -- must be submitted to CURF by our internal deadline.

CANDIDATE LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION:

As soon as candidates have arranged for letters of recommendation, they should fill out the Recommendation Request Form for each recommender, and for each program to which they are applying (e.g., Marshall, Rhodes, Mitchell, etc.).

INFORMATION FOR RECOMMENDERS:

In order to compose the most effective recommendation possible, fellowship recommenders are urged to review the information and suggestions CURF has developed. In addition, your letter should describe what you have observed of the candidate that illustrates the traits and abilities that will lead to academic, personal and professional success. Specific examples of work the candidate has performed and behaviors that you have observed are crucial to successful letters.

Recommenders are required to upload a separate letter for each fellowship for which the candidate is applying. While it is not generally necessary to tailor a letter specifically for each fellowship, it is extremely important to refer to the correct fellowship, degree program, and school in each letter (e.g., “I write to recommend [Student Name] for the Marshall Scholarship to obtain an MSc in International Relations at the University of Bristol”).

INTERVIEWS:

By early November the selection boards, situated in British consulates in each of the eight regions throughout the US, will have met and selected applicants for interviews held in early November. Marshall Scholars are announced in early December.

Bodek Prize for Research on Interracial and Interfaith Relations

The Urban Studies Program, through funding from “The Gordon Bodek Program in Urban Studies for Enhancing Dialogue, Inquiry, and Public Sensitivity about Interracial and Interfaith Relations” seeks to encourage outstanding undergraduate research on issues related to this topic. The Gordon Bodek Prize will be awarded annually to a student in any of the undergraduate departments and schools at Penn for the best paper addressing issues of interracial and interfaith relations.

The Gordon Bodek Prize is intended to enhance the undergraduate curriculum by encouraging faculty to highlight issues related to increasingly complex multi-ethnic and racially diverse urban and metropolitan settings. The prize also is intended to encourage students to study and write about intergroup tensions and to draw out the implications for their resolution. Winning papers will address the topic particularly as it applies to the concerns of urban studies, including such factors as public policy, housing, the economy, and metropolitan spatial and demographic trends. The winners of the prize receive a monetary award of $500.

The Bodek Prize is administered by the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, and awards are determined each April on a competitive basis. Seniors graduating in the Spring semester from any undergraduate school are eligible. Applicants must be in good standing in the University of Pennsylvania community. There will be one awardee annually.

Student projects will be evaluated by a faculty committee designated by CURF, with assistance by Urban Studies, on the basis of the project’s contribution to the issues that the Bodek prize highlights, as well as its quality and originality. Projects need not have been funded by undergraduate research grants in order to qualify for the Gordon Bodek Prize.

Research projects submitted for recognition must be supported by a letter from the Penn faculty member who supervised the research project. Projects may be in any discipline or may have an interdisciplinary scope. Applications from academic departments and individual faculty members are encouraged. Students may self-nominate, but applications will not be considered complete until all materials (including the Faculty Nomination Letter) are received. Students should submit the Project Abstract, the completed Project, and a digital copy of their Penn transcript through CURF’s Common Research Award form. The Faculty Nomination Letter from the faculty member who supervised the project should be requested through the Recommendation Request Form.

To be considered for the Bodek Prize, students should follow this application procedure:

Prepare a Project Abstract in a word processing program, without any formatting. The Project Abstract should not exceed 750 words (roughly three double-spaced typewritten pages) and should contain the following information:

Project Description intelligible to an educated non-specialist

Description of Methodology

Key Findings

Conclusions and Implications

List any grants received to support this project

Create a single .pdf containing:

the completed Project

electronic copy of your Penn transcript. You must submit the project and your transcript together as a single file in .pdf format. No other format will be accepted.To create a copy of your Penn transcript, go to Penn InTouch and print your transcript to pdf. (If you don’t have Adobe installed on your computer, download the free installer or use a Penn computer that has Adobe installed.) Print and save each document as a pdf, then use Adobe to create a single pdf file as indicated above by navigating to Adobe’s “File -> Create -> Combine Files into a Single PDF” feature.